With cap relief coming on June 1, do you expect that money to simply be slated for Dak Prescott, CeeDee Lamb or even Micah Parsons? Or could that be used to bring in a veteran free agent or two? Thanks. – Rob Riggieri/Rutland, MA
Nick Eatman: Honestly, it doesn't really work like that. The Cowboys have their year-to-year projections already mapped out, so that money that you're referring to, basically relief for the Michael Gallup move, is already accounted for in procedural moves that are already factored in. The Cowboys budget for injured players - roughly about $10 million per season - that you must have on your salary cap to deal with injuries. Most people forget that when a player is hurt, he still gets paid if he remains on IR and not only that, but you then have to get a replacement. Plus, with the new rule changes to elevate players from the practice squad each week, that counts about $2-3 million more on the cap. Those are things we don't always think about, but they still add up. And, if there is any money left over, it will probably roll into next year's cap because that is what the Cowboys are worried about that most, with more than $40 million in dead money projected to hit the cap next year. So it's not like they will have some access money on June 1 to go sign players.
